Stripping apparatus



Jan. 13, 1953 B. A. BLACK ET AL STRIPPING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 24, 1947 Patented Jan. 13, 1953 STRIPPING APPARATUS Bernard A. Black and Simon Kaim, Chicago, 111., assignors to John E. Fast & (10., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application October 24, 1947, Serial No. 781,966

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus designed for stripping from the end portion of a wire any coating or other material remaining on its surface as the result of a previous treatment or chemical action. Wires of this character are frequently dipped in enamel or other coating solution, and later it is desired to subject the end portions of the wire to a stripping or scraping treatment so that the wire may be cared and conditioned for electrical connection with a conductor.

According to our invention, an eiiective apparatus for this purpose may be mounted on a bench convenient to an operator in a sitting position. It comprises a tubular body which may be fitted on to a motor shaft to rotate there with, the body supporting a pair of arms which are pivoted. in diametrically opposite positions to yieldingly maintain a pair of cutters in engaging relation to the end portion of a wire which is inserted into an axial opening in the end of the body. The mechanism involves these major parts and no more. It is provided with means whereby to limit the distance to which the cutters may be advanced when the arms are moved outwardly in response to centrifugal force which is developed through rotation of the body. It also involves a mounting for the arms such that they may be readily taken off the body whenever required for replacement of freshly sharpened cutters. The cutters are slidable freely in radial slots on pposite sides of the body and are maintained assembled relation therewith by the arms. Provision is also made for scape of the strippings which are removed from the treated wire.

An apparatus embodying these several features of construction, and designed to accomplish the objects stated, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the stripping apparatus applied to the shaft of a motor by which it is operated;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the stripper, some of whose parts appear in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, taken in. a plane 90 therefrom;

4 is an enlarged detail, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing the cutters in their normal close-together position;

Fig. 5, which is a similar view, shows the cutters slightly separated, as in the position which they occupy when engaging with the wire; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail in horizontal section taken on line i6 of Fig. 5.

In Fig. l we have shown a motor M which may be mounted on a bench with its shaft 3 extended horizontally toward the operator. Fitted to the shaft is a hollow body B which may be secured fast thereto as by a set screw it.

As shown, the body is enlarged interiorly at its rear end to provide a socket 12 for receiving the end portion of the motor shaft s. At its opposite end where a shoulder 14 is formed, the outside diameter of the body may be reduced to provide, in eiiect, a head I6. Extending radially from the body at opposit points adjacent the shoulder are duplicate pairs or cars 18 each apertured to receive a pin 29 which traverses an arm 22 to pro-'- vide a pivotal mounting therefor. 7

Each arm is a lever of the first class, and its long end extends rearwardly so as to overbalance the forward end when subjected to centrifugal force developed during rotation of the body. v Each arm is provided near its free rearward end with a transverse opening 26 traversed by the shank 28 of a screw 35 whose head engages the outer face of the arm. The shank of each screw is threaded to engage within a threaded socket 32 in the body B where it is retained in a selected position of axial adjustment with the aid of a lock nut 3- 5. By such means as this the range of swinging movement of each arm 22 can be accurately controlled.

The forward end of each arm is thinned and inwardly turned at 36 where it closely approaches the head 16 near its extremity The end of the head is fitted with a cap 40 which is fixedly secured in place.

On opposite sides of the head 16 in its end region are elongated parallel grooves 44 having openings 46 and 48. The grooves are relatively wide and shallow and each communicates at its rear end portion with an enlarged bore forming a chamber 0 that is located centrally of the head whose walls are thickened forwardly thereof. The chamber '0 communicates with an axial bearing bore 15 in the cutting zone at the end portion of the head 16, this bore being of the proper size to laterally support a wire W whose end portion is to be treated. The strippings will partially be discharged through the forward portions of the grooves 44 while the remaining strippings passing through the bearing bore 5 are discharged from the chamber 0 through the rear portions of the grooves 4 Two relatively narrow short slots 50 are also provided oppositely of each other close to the forward end of the head, each opening on tothe axial bore b. These latter slots constitute guideways wherein may be positioned a pair of cutter blocks 52, one on each side of center. The inner face of each block is tapered to a knife edge 54 so as to enegage with the wire W when in: troduced into the axial bore 12 and advanced endwise therein. when so engaged-theater faces 56 of the cutter blockswm lie just t6 the outside of the head It so as to' be engaged by the turned ends 36 of the arms.

In operation the stripper head will be rotated with the motor at a speed of say 3600 P. The operator may be protected by a housing 60 which extends forwardly of the rotating stripper as well as over its top and sides, with a. small opening 82' at the front coaxial with the l'nad.

The end portion of a wire which is to be stripped is then introduced into the axial opening 2; so as to force a separation of the two cutter blocks which are normally held in an inner position responsive to the centrifugal force which is exerted upon the arms 22. As the wire enters between the cutters, the latter engage with the surface to be treated, removing therefrom a predetermined amount of material, say .0015 thick. The wire advance is manually effected endwise of itself for the full distance required, say, a couple of inches or so, and during this axial movement the surface is not only stripped of any coating material or surface film but is also bared and burnished. If the stripping be incomplete on advance of the wire, then on its return movement the treatment is completed so that the stripped wire end portion is entirely clean, ready to be dipped in solder or otherwise treated for an ensuing electrical connection.

It will be noted that the amount of stripping is predetermined by adjustment of the two set screws 30 which limit the extent of outward swinging movement of the arms 22 and consequently the extent of inward movement of the cutter blocks. It is therefore possible to adjust the arms for a deep cut or a shallow cut, or for a out which will be appropriate for wires of varying size. As the strippings are removed, they are free to fall out through the slots 44 of the head 16 so as to avoid any clogging of the device.

In the apparatus, as shown, two pivoted arms, each subject to centrifugal action, are used. This number is preferred because it permits of their disposition on diametrically opposite sides of the rotating body so as to maintain a dynamic balance; also it permits the use of two cutters which engage the wire on diametrically opposite sides, thereby equalizing the pressure upon the work. If for any reason it is desired that one cutter be pressed toward the work farther than the other, this may be brought about by proper adjustment of the set screws 30 which limit the distance of outward movement of the two arms independently.

The action of the cutters is very effective in removing enamel or other coating material, or even a surface film from the wire surface. A complete removal is effected and the wire surface is cleaned and burnished so that any further treatment thereof, perparatory to a soldering or other operation, is unnecessary. The time required for treatment is but a few seconds in each case, and the operation is so simple that no training or special skill on the part of the operator is necessary.

We claim:

1. A wire stripping apparatus comprising a 1'0- tatable body having a first axial bore at the forward end thereof for axially receiving the wire to be stripped and a second axial bore rearwardly of and having a greater diameter than the first bore and in open communication therewith, said body being provided with radial guide slots extending from said first axial bore to the exterior of said body, cutters slidably fitted in the guide slots, portions of said first axial bore on opposing sides of said guide slots constituting forward and rear bearing portions for the wire limiting lateral movement thereof, said body bein further provided with longitudinal discharge grooves circumferentially spaced from said guide slots, said discharge slots being in open communication with said first axial bore at the stripping zone between the forward and rear bearing portions .4 and in open communication with said second axial bore at the forward end thereof immediately behind said rear bearing portion, whereby strippings from the wire are partially discharged through the discharge grooves at the stripping zone while the remaining strippings passing through said rear bearing portion are discharged from the second axial bore through the discharge grooves at the forward end of the second bore, lever means pivotally mounted on said body and engageable with said cutters, said lever means being pivotally movable in response to rotation of the body to effect pressure engagement between the lever means and cutters, advancing the cutters into stripping engagement with the wire fed into the first bore.

2. A wire stripping apparatus having in combination, a rotatable body provided with a first axial bore at its forward end for axially receiving the wire to be stripped, said body being provided with opposing guide slots extending radially from the bore and opening upon the exterior of the body, cutters slidably fitted in the guide slots for radial movement, said body having portions of said first axial bore juxtaposed to opposing ends of the guide slots providing bearings forwardly and rearwardly of the stripping zone, thereby limiting the lateral movement of the wire during stripping, said body being provided with a second axial bore of a diameter greater than the first axial bore and located rearwardly of the rear bearing portion of the first bore, said first and second bores being in open communication with each other, said body being further provided with longitudinal discharge grooves circumferentially spaced from said guide slots and in open communication with said first axial bore at the stripping zone between the cutters, said discharge grooves being in open communication with said second axial bore at the forward end thereof immediately behind the rearward bearing portion of the first axial bore, whereby strippings from the wire are partially discharged through the discharge groves at the stripping zone while the remaining strippings passing through the rearward bearing portion of the first bore are discharged from the second axial bore through the discharge grooves at the forward end of the second bore, and levers extending alongside of the body and pivotally connected thereto at a point nearer to their forward ends than to their rear ends, the forward ends of said levers extending inwardly for abutting said cutters whereby rotation of said body effects pivoting of said levers, producing pressure engagement of the forward ends of the levers against the cutters, advancing the same into stripping engagement with the wire fed into the first bore, and means limiting the pivotal movement of said levers.

BERNARD A. BLACK. SIMON KAIM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 570,181 McGill Oct. 27, 1896 1,592,592 Anderson et al July 13, 1926 1,887,853 Jinnett Nov. 15, 1932 1,921,680 Kopnicky Aug. 8, 1933 2,135,200 Reeves Nov. 1, 1938 2,452,423 Bass Oct. 26, 1948 

